MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. –  Junior forward Emily Janiga's power-play goal, 2:05 into overtime, gave the Mercyhurst University women's hockey team a hard-fought 2-1 win over Robert Morris Friday night in the opener of a two-game weekend series at the 84 Lumber Arena. The Lakers, who dropped out of the national rankings after being swept at St. Lawrence last weekend, improved to 18-6-3 overall and to 9-3-1 in College Hockey America (CHA). The Colonials, losing for the third time this season to the Lakers, fell to 8-15-3 and 5-6-2 respectively.

It was Mercyhurst's first overtime victory since upsetting Cornell, on the road, in the NCAA Quarterfinals, 4-3, on March 16, 2013

Mercyhurst took advantage of a Robert Morris slashing penalty just 24 seconds into the extra session. With the power play opportunity winding down, the Lakers took a time out with 3:12 left in the overtime and just 36 ticks left on the penalty. Seventeen seconds later, Janiga ended the game with her team-leading 20th goal of the season. Junior forward Jenna Dingeldein had the lone helper.

Janiga is tied with Syracuse's Melissa Piacentini for the national lead in power play goals with nine.

Mercyhurst had a bit better of the play in a scoreless first period, outshooting the Colonials 11-9. Robert Morris' senior forward Katelyn Scott came closest to lighting the lamp, hitting the pipe in the last minute.

The teams traded goals within a 90-second span early in the second. Senior forward Rebecca Vint gave the Colonials the lead at 4:32, but Dingeldein knotted the contest when she cashed a power play opportunity at 5:57. Dingeldein's 13th goal of the season was assisted by senior defender Molly Byrne and junior backliner J'nai Mahadeo. The Lakers had a sizeable 20-10 advantage in second period shots.

Neither team could score in the third, setting the stage for Janiga's heroics.

Senior goaltender Amanda Makela (18-6-3) started for the 27th time this season for the Lakers while sophomore Jessica Dodds (6-12-2) got the nod for the 20th time in 2014-15 for the Colonials. Makela's victory was the 50th in her career as the Lakers improved to 37-7-1 all-time against the Colonials and to 16-4-1 at Robert Morris.

Makela is 50-19-8 in her Laker career. She turned aside 24 shots in the victory. Dodds suffered the heartbreaking loss after stopping 47 Mercyhurst shots on the night.

Second-place Penn State and Syracuse played to a 2-2 overtime tie Friday night, giving the Lakers a three-point lead over the Nittany Lions in the chase for the regular season crown. Mercyhurst is six points ahead of third-place Syracuse, and seven clear of fourth-place Robert Morris, for a first-round bye in the CHA Tournament.

The two teams will finish the weekend series on Saturday afternoon at 3:05 p.m.

Notes: Janiga (2) and Dingeldein did all the damage in Mercyhurst's come-from-behind 3-2 win over Syracuse January 17 at the Ice Center…neither had any points in the two losses last weekend at St. Lawrence…the overtime game against the Colonials was only the third (2-0-1) in the teams' 45-game history…senior Shelby Bram was held scoreless and is still two points shy of the century mark for her career